When the members of Raleigh’s Saints Apollo anointed themselves a “folk pop” group, they couldn’t have pinned their sound down any more accurately. The band’s first full-length album, We Are Ghosts, displays the tenacity that has thrust it into the limelight of the Triangle’s music scene.

Although the band has only been around for two years, its songs feel like fully fleshed-out ideas that display a simultaneous sense of grandiosity and simplicity that few are able to accomplish.

We Are Ghosts consists primarily of catchy folk songs with a pop foundation. Standard chord structures and bouncy melodies create the strong foundations of these songs, but the wonder of these tunes lies in their nuances. 

Whether it’s the continuous stomps and claps on tracks like “Hashin’ It Out” or the bristling percussion behind the album’s standout track “Oh Oh Oh,” the songs’ innate draw comes from their rich detail. 

Saints Apollo benefits greatly from its string section. While the draw of male/female harmonies is usually enough to draw in fans of the tried-and-true folk genre, the addition of talented cellists and violinists serve as the bread and butter of groups like this. 

While songwriter Jonathan Koo possesses a powerful ability to craft memorable melodies and refrains, the band wouldn’t be nearly as entertaining with your standard bass-guitar-and-drums combo. Having a cello fill out the low end of these tracks adds a powerful dynamic to the music that makes for a captivating listen. 

But that shouldn’t discredit the song-writing on display in We Are Ghosts. Tracks like “Share My Walker” and “We Are Ghosts” fill the album with delightful moments that allow the listener to delve deeper into the lyrical territories that Saints Apollo tread upon. 

“Share My Walker” is a heartwarming account of a headstrong lover who wishes for nothing more than to grow old with another that’s filled with addictive percussive flare and doo-wop style backing vocals. It feels like a modern-folk take on The Chairmen of the Board’s “Give Me Just A Little More Time,” a track that laments a love gone awry and pleads for a second chance.

Meanwhile, tracks like “We Are Ghosts” explore the darker, harsher sides of these same topics. “Time’s slowing down and I fear we are ghosts,” Koo croons over a simple piano line, “Finding the light, we gotta go.” The song displays a strong sense of urgency with its plaintive refrain but still feels like a hopeful exploration of these deeply personal feelings. 

The album is filled with obvious relationship woes that are viewed through the lens of someone who knows that there are problems but retains the utmost desire to work through these issues and reach the light at the end of the tunnel.

Although “Hashin’ It Out” is an absurdly catchy track, it enters the uncomfortable territory of relationship issues and the fine line between “arguing” and “hashing it out.” The track touches on the necessity of tear-stained arguments in strengthening bonds between lovers, and it’s moments like this that allow you to peek through the veil of this simplistic pop group and see the people behind the music.

The same can be said for tracks like “Slowly” and “Warning Signs.” They play out like a conversation between estranged partners, following along with a pseudo-narrative that is found within We Are Ghosts. The album chronicles the highs and lows of relationships and the personal struggles that can come along with them, but they’re viewed through the lens of someone with a heightened level of self-awareness rather than a sad-sack breakup album.

We Are Ghosts is a powerful statement from a young band that’s filled with potential. While it would be easy to lament and wallow in the sadness of a love lost, the album conveys a sense of maturity that few others can maintain. 

We Are Ghosts is a cohesive listening experience that can speak to those listeners that have experienced these emotions. It’s an album that simultaneously feels insanely personal and instantly relatable. When you’re as early into your career as Saints Apollo is, that’s a feat that shouldn’t be understated.